Rain-coat.



No. 820,893. 'PATENTEDMAY 15, 1906. F. W. SLATER.

RAIN GOAT.

APPLIGATION FILED P331, 1906.

attomucgf FLORENCE WELLS SLATER, OF FLUSHING, YORK.

RAIN-COAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1906.

Application filed February 1,1906. Serial No. 298,937.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FLORENCE VVELLS S ATER, of Flushing, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rain- Ooats; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is an improved rain-coat for ladies wear; and its object is to provide a garment by which the ordinary in-door clothing, and particularly the skirts of the wearer, will be fully protected in rainy weather, and which rain-coat, and especially the under or inner skirt thereof, can be very easily put on and off by the wearer without necessitating the removal or unfastening of any other garment and which can be done in the most expeditious manner. The improved garment is particularly and especially adapted for use both with the ordinary street costume or with evening dress, where the wearer is obliged to go outin rainy weather.

The invention, in brief, comprises an outer rain-coat which may be similar in general construction to those ordinarily worn at present. In connection therewith I provide an under rain-skirt which is adapted to he slipped on, after the wearer is fully dressed, under the ordinary skirts, and I provide suitable devices whereby the lower edges of the under and outer rain-coats can be buttoned or detachably fastened together, so as to form a pocket inclosing the other skirts of the wearer, whereby the ordinary skirts will be protected from the weather and from mud on the shoes of the wearer or splashing incident to walking.

The principal feature of the present invention is the novel construction of the inner rain-skirt, which is open from top to bottom and is intended to be fitted at its upper end to the hips of the wearer below the ordinary skirt-bands and can be easily fastened in place below the usual skirt-bands, so that the rain-skirt can be removed or put on without disturbing the fastenings of the other skirts and without necessitating the employment of any suspenders or short skirts or other articles of dress which must remain attached to the wearer until the usual clothing is removed.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description of the raincoat, illustrated in the drawings, which form part of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partly in section, of the complete rain-protector. Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section, indicating the manner of fastening the rain skirt and coat around. the other skirts.

The invention consists of a skirt A, of waterproof material, open down the front, as at a, and provided on its'upper edge witha band at, having attached strings c by which the skirt may be tied or fastened around the waist of the wearer below and under the other skirt-bands. To the lower edge of this rain-skirt and on the outside thereof are secured a series of fastening devices b, adapted to engage the opposite similar device I) on the lower edge and inner side of the outer rain-coat or gossamer 'B, which may be like the usual gossamer and adapted to fully protect the exterior garments of the wearer. I preferably use socket-fastenings or glove-fastenings, as indicated in the drawings.

While I prefer the glove-fastening devices, as described and shown, any other preferred fastenings may be employed. These fastenings should be placed sufficiently close together around. the lower edges of the rain skirt andrain-coat to prevent the dress and underskirts of the wearer escaping or projecting between the lower edges of the outer and inner rain-skirts. The inner rainskirt, moreover, is preferably provided with a series of fastening devices upon the meeting edges thereof, as shown at d, glove-fastenings being shown; but, if preferred, other fastenings may be employed. I prefer the glovebutton fastening for the reason that they are less apt to become casually unfastened when the wearer is walking and at the same time may be more readily unfastened when it is desired to remove the rain-skirt and are more easily fastened when putting on the coat. The edges of the skirts to which the fastening devices are applied may be reinforced by braid or skirt-binding, as indicated at B and A, if desired.

When the wearer desires to put on the rain-coat, the under rain-skirt can be slipped underthe other skirts and its upper edge fastened by tying the bands around the waist below the other skirt-bands. This can be very readily done, because the rain-skirt is open from top to bottom and does not have IIO to be stepped into or out of, as do the ordi nary skirts. Then after the under rainskirt is buttoned up the outer rain-coat is slipped on and buttoned up, and then the inner and outer rain-skirt are fastened together at the bottom below the ordinary skirts and pocket the same, as indicated in Fig. 2. This can be Very easily done by the wearer, owing to the looseness of the skirts and without any particular difficulty or discomfort, and when properly fastened the ordinary skirts and petticoats are protected both eXteriorly and interiorly from rain and mud without injury thereto. When the wearer enters the house again, the under rainskirt can be easily slipped off, as it opens down the front, without having to remove any of the ordinary clothing, and when not in use no portion of the rain-coat has to be worn in the house.

I am aware that rain-coats have been made heretofore in which the ordinary skirts were pocketed; but these were too cumbersome and clumsy and necessitated crushing or folding of the skirts in an uncomfortable manner or the continuous wearing of a short skirt or suspended device for the attachment and support of the inner rain-skirt, and if it was desired to remove the inner rain-skirt it was tedious and troublesome to do so. By my invention I have overcome the objections to the heretofore-known rain-skirts and have provided a gossamer which will readily commend itself to women.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A rain protector or coat for women, comprising an outer rain-coat, a set of fastening members around the lower inner edge of such coat, an inner rain-skirtzopen from top to bottom and provided with fastenings on its meeting edges whereby it may be secured together after the skirt is in position, "and with devices on its upper edge, whereby it may be secured around the waist of the wearer beneath the ordinary skirts and below the bands thereof, and removed or put on without removing the ordinary skirts, and fastening devices on the lower outer edge of the inner rain-skirt adapted to engage the fastening devices on the lower edge of the outer coat and pocket the wearer's ordinary skirts between the coat and skirt, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FLORENCE WELLS SLATER.

In presence of JENNIE M. GUY, HARVEY K. LINES. 

